The World Athletics has officially approved Nigeria’s qualification to compete in the women’s 4×100-meter relay and the 4×400-meter mixed relay at the Guangzhou 23 World Relays, which were originally planned to take place in Budapest, Hungary, in August 2023.
According to a statement from World Athletics, the event has been postponed and will now take place in April or May of 2025.
Following World Athletics’ reform of the qualification process, the two relay teams secured their places in Budapest.
The decision was taken in accordance with the Guangzhou Local Organizing Committee (LOC) and the Chinese Athletics Association due to the current pandemic (CAA).
With the Council’s permission, the World Athletics Competition Commission modified the qualification process to include the top eight teams from both the performance lists and the World Athletics Championships Oregon22.
The guiding premise is to duplicate a comparable qualification procedure that enables a number of athletes to qualify directly through events or based on accomplishments made throughout the qualification period.
The top eight teams from the Oregon22 World Athletics Championships will compete for a podium spot.
A revised qualification process announced by World Athletics would pit Nigeria’s Women’s 4x100m relay squad against the USA, Jamaica, Germany, Spain, Britain, Italy, and Switzerland.
The Dominican Republic, the Netherlands, the USA, Poland, Jamaica, Nigeria, Italy, and Ireland will compete for gold in the 4x400m mixed relay event.
Sebastian Coe, Chairman of World Athletics said, “It is unfortunate to have to postpone an event. However, both World Athletics and the Local Organizing Committee are committed to carrying out the preparation and hosting of World Relays in a responsible manner, which includes ensuring that athletes from all International Federations can compete and enjoy fully from their stay in safe sanitary conditions.”
“I would like to thank our colleagues from the Chinese Athletics Association and the LOC for their efforts and valuable collaboration in finding a solution to this situation. I look forward to the year 2025 when our hosts will be able to organize a spectacular edition of the World Athletics World Relays.”
The host country for the 2024 World Relays will be revealed by the World Athletics Council during their meeting on November 30 in Rome, Italy.
